Inferno
by The Time Lord Writer
Summary: Ever since Raz's transformation, Squint and the crew have formulated a plan to change her back. Through new challenges and new adversaries, marriages, and surprises, their group will stop at nothing to save Raz. Not even if they have to sacrifice someone else.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello again! Welcome back! :D I hope you all enjoyed the story, and are coming back for the sequel. Anyways, please read and review!**

* * *

_Raz glanced around as the swirling black sands diminished. She knew what her purpose was; it was to destroy, to kill, to hurt, to make others suffer. And she longed to do it, her fingers were itching to just choke someone slowly and maliciously. But before she could partake in such fun excursions, a voice called her to a nearby pool. "Rasmussen," it hissed. "Come, little one." _

_Cautiously, the midnight black, red eyed kangaroo hopped over to the pool, and peered down into the water_

_"Hello?" she asked softly. A figure suddenly appeared in the pool, causing her to blink in surprise. "Who... Who are-"_

_"Don't be frightened," the pale figure said. "You knew me once, we used to be enemies. But now... Now you can take my place." _

_Raz blinked in confusion._

_"I...I don't know who you are." she admitted. The figure chuckled._

_"I am Pitch. And I am the one responsible for this villainous birth of yours." _

_Raz shrugged._

_"I still got no idea who ya' are." she replied, crossing her arms. She wasn't too interested in this knife nosed figure; she had things to do, places to destroy, people to maul._

_"No matter; I am simply here to help you." Pitch replied. Raz raised an eyebrow._

_"Help me how?" she asked. Pitch extended an arm, his hand lifting towards her from the water. Raz's eyes widened slightly; she was impressed._

_"With your image. You need something a little more... Defining." _

_Raz rolled her eyes._

_"What, a pitch black kangaroo with red eyes ain't 'defining' enough?" she asked dryly._

_"Trust me." Pitch soothes. "I'll put your internal heat source to some good, decorative use." _

_Raz placed a paw on her chest, suddenly feeling somewhat protective. Something told her this internal heat source, which she was just now aware of, was to be kept safe and pure, to be used for...something else. Something special. And yet, she wanted to see what this Pitch could do for her. So, taking a steady breath, she slowly reached her paw out, gently intertwining her fingers with that of Pitch. _

_He grinned wickedly, then seized her paw tightly, light suddenly shining through the clasped appendages. A burning sensation wracked the kangaroo's body loke she'd never felt before, and she tipped her head back with a scream as light began to shine through her fur, cracks appearing in her blackness. She tugged on her paw, inwardly begging the burning to stop, but Pitch refused to release her. Raz was engulfed from the inside out in fiery pain, screaming as loud as her lungs could allow her. What was going on? What was happening to her?_


	2. Chapter 2

Squint gasped as he sat up, startled to the greatest degree he'd ever felt. His mind flashed with the horrible, pain filled images of Raz and her screams. He panted heavily, laying a paw on his chest. Eyes wide, he reran the strange dream through his mind, wondering where one earth it had come from. Then a thought struck him. "Oh Razzie." he whispered.

"Squint?" Nina asked sleepily, sitting up slightly and turning to him with half lidded eyes. Calming down somewhat, Squint took the doe into his embrace, welcoming the chance to cuddle. Although he'd probably never admit it, he found himself immensely fond of sharing a tender moment with his new mate. Nina smiled and snuggled into his chest, eliciting a small smile from the buck as well.

"What's wrong?" she muttered. Squint frowned once more.

"Nina...I think...something is...REALLY wrong with Raz. I think...something else happened to her."

"Something else?" Nina asked confusedly, looking up at him with a sleep addled mind. Squint sighed.

"It's okay. Just go back to sleep." he dismissed, gently laying his mate back down and stroking her temple. Nina smirked up at him dazedly.

"You know, Raz told me once that you used to be so harsh, so feeling-less. So strong." Squint raised an eyebrow.

"And?" he inquired, fears about his sister momentarily forgotten. The doe chuckled as his thumb stroked her lower lip.

"Well...I changed you. I made you soft; doesn't that make me strong? Stronger than you, maybe?" Squint mulled it over for a moment.

"Eh, maybe." he replied. Nina chuckled. "Honestly Nina, go back to sleep." he urged. "We'll have a lot to do come morning." The doe hummed in reply and closed her eyes, shifting herself comfortably.

"Aren't you going back to sleep, too?" she asked softly.

"I'm gonna' go take a walk. Clear my head." Squint replied. "I'll be back soon." he promised. Nina hummed once more, eyes fluttering. After staring at her for a moment, Squint sighed and stood, walking out of the campsite, putting some distance between himself and the rest of his newly acquired family. He needed to be alone for this to work. Squint walked for a long while, before coming to a large glacier.

He stared up the wall of ice for a while, before looking at his own reflection. Expression turning sour, he pulled out his knife. "Where are you, PITCH?" he growled. The Nightmare King soon appeared in the frozen water, smirking.

"Something troubling you, jackrabbit?" he taunted. Squint winced on the inside; it stung to hear his greatest enemy speak the nickname his loving sister had once used. His grip on the knife hilt tightened.

"What did you do?" he demanded lowly, eyes narrowing.

"Um, I BELIEVE," Pitch began in a mocking tone. "I turned your sister into a true villain, severed a major bond that you practically LIVED off all your life, let's see, oh! I also kidnapped your girlfriend, tried to kill her-" Squint's teeth ground.

"What did you do to RAZ?" he growled.

"I thought we already covered that." Pitch's grin made Squint uncomfortable, made him want to fidget on the spot and filled his chest with a sour feeling.

"You LIED to me!" he exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at the image of Pitch. "You said I was the only one who could see you, and that't not true!" Pitch chuckled, completely at ease.

"And what makes you say that?" he inquired nonchalantly.

"I SAW!" Squint spat. "I had a dream, and I saw Raz. Her fur was...was so BLACK. Her eyes were red like the hottest of flames." His voice had lowered to a whisper as he remembered the horrible nightmare. "And...someone called her over to this pool of water. Called her...little one."

"And then...and then it was you!" Squint's voice escalated once more. "You...you reached OUT of the water to her, you convinced her to touch you. And then...then..." He glanced away, heart clenching at the screams reverberating in his memory. Eyes flashing, he looked back up at Pitch's image angrily. "Then you HURT her!" he accused. "You did something to her, you made her scream with the most AGONIZED voice I've ever heard her use!"

"Now TELL me what you DID!" he demanded. But Pitch only laughed.

"Yes," he hissed. "Yes, I lied to you. But what can you expect? I used to be a villain, I once was in the very position dear little Raz is in now. I gave her all that I gave her to HELP her succeed in her new occupation. After all, it WAS my duty." Squint blinked in confusion.

"DUTY?" he asked. "It's not your DUTY to do ANYTHING to her! You've already done ENOUGH harm!"

"Ah, but you aren't thinking this whole situation through." Pitch replied. "You see, I was the one who instigated this, rebirth, I suppose you could call it. She's not necessarily a different creature, but I've made her somewhat something new. She's almost like," he paused, giving Squint a nasty grin. "a daughter." he whispered. Squint's eyes widened in shock and horror. He took a step back and shook his head.

"No...no, Razzie's NOT yours!" he insisted. "She HAS a dad, AND a mom! You...you're not-"

"Biologically, of course not." Pitch agreed calmly. "But if you think about the course of events, I DO fill a fatherly role for her. It's in my job description, as you would say, to help her. Guide her." Squint's face contorted into one of the glares he was well know for.

"NO!" he screamed. "I WON'T let you control Raz! I won't let you take her for your own! She's NOT your daughter! She's MY sister! And I WILL get her back!" With that he stabbed his knife into the image, cracking the glacier's surface and causing the image of Pitch to disappear.

He panted, leaning his forehead against the cool ice, gripping the knife hilt savagely. "I'll get you back, Razzie." he whispered. "I promise."


	3. Chapter 3

_(Flashback)_

_Drakus stared at Pitch's reflection. "What. Did. You. Do?"_

_Pitch smiled. "I died."_

_"Who did you turn? The rabbit?"_

_"Eeeh... The funny thing is, I TRIED to, but-"_

_"You turned the doe? SHE'S supposed to be the hero, not a villian!"_

_"I know that was our original plan, but... What would you say if I turned the kangaroo?"_

_"You WHAT? That COMPLETELY ruins the plan!" Drakus hissed._

_"Why? Its brother against sister-"_

_"But don't you realize? The kangaroo has the power to SCORCH. She isn't going to be defeated by a BAD DREAM. She is going to go ALL AROUND THE WORLD and KILL!_

_"Had you turned the buck, his mate would have stepped up and been able to stop him. He's a nightmare, she's a good dream. OPPOSITES! A BAD DREAM ISN'T THE OPPOSITE OF FIRE!"_

_"So, what are we going to do?" Pitch asked._

_"YOU are going to offer guidance."_

_"To the kangaroo?"_

_"NO! To the rabbit! You will help him keep Raz in check. YOU will become his sidekick," Drakus growled. _

_"But-"_

_"GO!"_

* * *

Squint leaned against the glacier for a long while, still sorrowed by his only sister's fate. "Have you finished wallowing yet?" Pitch's voice asked. Squint jumped and turned slightly, holding his knife out at another image of Pitch.

"What do you WANT from me? Haven't you taken enough already?" he demanded. Pitch rolled his eyes.

"Look, this isn't something I would normally say," The Nightmare King's expression suddenly softened uncharacteristically. "but I'm sorry about what happened to your sister." Squint blinked in shock. "And I can promise you that it was an accident."

"An ACCIDENT?" Squint shrieked. "Raz SACRIFICED herself to stop ME from being changed into...some sort of monster!"

"I'm not saying her SACRIFICE was an accident!" Pitch snapped, before calming back down. "I'm saying the mere fact that SHE was turned instead of YOU wasn't my intention. And...in all honesty I wish it hasn't been her either. Things would have been a lot less complicated if it had been you." Squint raised an eyebrow.

"Why would it make a difference if I was turned instead of my sister?" he asked suspiciously.

"Because that was the plan." Pitch replied. "Nina was your opposite, and your true love. Had you become the villain, she would have been able to stop you. And most likely finish things off with a big, romantic 'bang!'" he added with distaste. "But Raz ruined all that," he sighed. "And now things are going to be very difficult." Squint's eyes widened.

"So...what are you gonna' do now?" he asked.

"Actually it's what YOU are going to do." Pitch replied. "You see, now that RAZ has been turned, you and your mate will have to work together and defeat her."

"I already figured that our, DUMBNUT!" Squint snapped. "I don't see why you're still hanging around."

Pitch growled. "And since I am her father, I am the only one who can turn her back! But if you don't want me to do that..."

"No!" Squint shouted, waving his hands. "No, I DO want you to turn her back!"

"Then, I SUGGEST you STOP being such an ingrateful little WHINER."

"Wait, how can you turn her back if you're DEAD?" Squint asked suspiciously. "Would it bring YOU back to life or something?"

"No," Pitch said, reclining on what appeared to be nothing, "Someone will just need to take her place." His eyes flicked up to Squint's face. "Any volunteers?"

Squint glanced away. "Ah, no." he replied uncomfortably. "BUT, if I'll let you know if anyone steps up for the job." he added. "For now, could you just tell me a good way to defeat her? You know, get her off the high horse of villainy and keep her mellow?" Pitch sighed and rolled his eyes.

"I was really hoping for some bravado." he muttered. "Since you are too incompetent to think for YOURSELF, rabbit, let me ask you this:" Squint tilted his head and raised an ear. "What is the opposite of fire?" With that Pitch disappeared, leaving Squint alone to contemplate his answer. The rabbit looked pensively at the ground, mulling the question over.


	4. Chapter 4

"The opposite of fire..." he muttered thoughtfully. "We'll, what puts out fire? Water..." His eyes shot wide open, and he jumped up with a gleeful smile. "That's it, WATER!" he screamed. "That's so obvious, we just need to keep her confined in water until we can fix her!" He instantly deflated.

"Of course, that still requires finding her, formulating a plan of capture, chasing her into a trap, and THEN changing her back." he added uneasily, before shrugging. "Ah well, Razzie's always been a high-maintenance girl."

Pitch sighed. "And who do you think is going to help you with this plan? Your whole group do have their own lives, you know. They can't really just drop everything now that you've got a plan."

Squint raised an eyebrow, placing his paws on his hips. "They did to help me find Nina," he argued. "And those fanfictioners had nothing better to do at the time. AND they convinced Sam and Dean to help out, too. I'm pretty sure they'd still be willing to help." He stopped and thought for a moment. "Well, maybe don't count Sam and Dean. But Nina, KaylaDestroyer, Eightbooksand60cats, Bunnymund, Jack, and Aria for sure."

Pitch sighed again. "You put to much faith in your friends. How are you so sure that KaylaDestroyer and Eightbooksand60cats still have nothing better to do? The rest are guardians. They have their own duties. The only one who will definitely help you is Nina."

Squint glared at Pitch and raised his chin proudly. "FINE, I'll just go ASK and see if any of them are interested in helping me and Nina." he shot back, then stormed off to do just that.

Pitch glared at Squint's retreating figure. "You must do this alone!" he shouted. But Squint didn't seem to hear him, or was pretending to not to.

"You don't UNDERSTAND!" Pitch cried out, wishing for once that he was alive enough to stop the rabbit himself. "This isn't something you can just drag a bunch of random people into! This is deeper than you know!" Squint however continued to ignore him, obviously not believing the Nightmare King. "I will KEEP my daughter if you don't follow the requirements!" At this Squint froze, slowly turning to face him.

"What did you say?" he asked, glare piercing and one-eye squinted as per usual.

"I said I'll KEEP my daughter in her current form unless we do things MY way." he repeated.

"You can't DO that." Squint argued.

"Oh YES I CAN," Pitch replied with a grin. "Remember; she's MY villainous offspring. I can do what I please with her, take care of her any way I wish." Squint growled at Pitch's image.

"What exactly are you suggesting I do?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"No one else get's involved in your little 'rescue mission' other than Nina and yourself."


	5. Chapter 5

Squint looked at Pitch, fury in his eyes. "No, YOU don't understand!" he said. "These people are my friends... They're people who have stuck by me through thick and through thin. THEY will WANT to help me with Raz. They WANT to make sure Raz comes back safe. Because they've been with me since I met Nina. Now," Squint growled, "we do this MY way, or you no longer have a hero to manipulate."

Pitch gave a snarl. "FINE; you can bring your annoying little FRIENDS into this." he conceded. "But you MUST be slow and gentle with her. She's practically a newborn villain; she can get hurt in ways you'd never imagine or suspect." he warned. Squint seemed to consider the information, before nodding.

"I'd be gentle with her anyway," he scoffed.

"She requires a special type of treatment and patience, especially since you're trying to bring her back to the good side at such a young age." Pitch instructed, before flicking a hand at the rabbit. "Now go fetch your mate and co and start your plan." he said disinterestedly, before his image disappeared. Squint rolled his eyes and turned away, making his way back to the camp. Nina would probably still be asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Nina slowly opened her eyes to see Squint's face in front of hers.

"Squint!" she shrieked, clutching at her heart. "Don't ever do that again! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"Sorry," Squint sniggered, "but you wouldn't wake up."

Nina sighed and rolled her eyes, before smirking and snuggling into the buck. "Had a good walk?" she asked. Squint wrapped is arms around her in turn with a smile.

"Listen, Nina, I'm not quite sure how to tell you this..." he began.

"I'm sure it can't turn out worse than your proposal." Nina encouraged.

"Hey, that was GOOD!" Squint objected indignantly. Nina giggled.

"I'm teasing you Squint. Sow what did you wanna' tell me?" she soothed. The buck sighed.

"Pitch..." he started, but seemed to have trouble getting more than that out. The white doe raised an eyebrow.

"What about Pitch?" she inquired. Squint sighed.

"He's not QUITE dead..." Nina's eyes widened fearfully.

"W-what do you mean he's not 'QUITE dead'?" she stuttered fearfully. Squint's heartbeat increased at the fear he saw in her eyes; she hadn't looked like that in a while. Tightening his hold on her slightly, he continued.

"He keeps...contacting me, and ONLY me, when I'm alone. He said I was the onyl one who could see him, but...but Raz can see him too." Nina's eyes widened, this time with interest.

"Y-you and Raz can SEE Pitch?" she asked.

"Yes, but only when we wants to be seen." the buck assured her. "He wants to see me because, well, in his eyes I'm the hero who's supposed to fix this mess. And Raz..." Squint trailed off.

"What about Raz?" Nina urged gently.

"He said...he said, because it was HIS sands that changed her, she..." Squint fumbled. He looked into his mate's icy blue eyes, and took courage. "She's like his DAUGHTER now." he whispered. The doe gave a slight jerk, paw discreetly flying up to lay on her stomach, although Squint didn't seem to notice.

"She...him...but, but HOW?" Nina asked bewilderedly.

"Pitch said it was because HIS sands changed her, so I guess, like, if a DIFFERENT villain changed her, then she would be like THEIR daughter." he tried to explain. He then blinked and tilted his head. "Are you okay, Nina? Are you sick or somethin'?" he asked. Nina's paw instantly flew away, landing on the ground beside her.

"Oh no, no," she replied. "I just...it was SHOCKING, thinking of Raz as PITCH'S daughter, of all people." she assured. Squint nodded solemnly.

"I know," he sympathized sadly. "It wasn't like she GREW UP evil, she was just really hot-tempered. And, when things got tough she did what she had to to take care of her and myself." Nina gave a nod, looking away.

"She sounds like a good big sister." she said. Squint smirked softly.

"Yeah...she always was." His expression then became determined. "That's why I wanna' bring her back."


	7. Chapter 7

"So, what are we going to do?" Nina asked.

"First, we're going to enlist the group's help again," he said, gesturing at the rest of the people, who were currently laughing around the breakfast fire. "We'll need all the help we can get when turning Raz back."

"True," Nina said softly. "And then what?"

"And then, we get married."

Nina smirked. "Before saving Raz?"

"If I die during fighting her-"

"You won't, Raz would never kill you."

"I know, but IF I die while fighting Raz... I want to die... Knowing that... I'm finally married to the doe I love."

Nina sighed softly, snuggling into the buck a bit more. "I'd want that too," she agreed. "And I wish Raz could be there to see it." Squint shrugged.

"Well, you never know," he said. "She's actually pretty good at stalking; she could watch it all from the bushes and we'd never know she was there." Nina chuckled at this.

"So, wanna' get some breakfast before asking them?" she asked. Squint stood and pulled the doe to her feet.

"Sounds like a plan." he agreed.

* * *

"Hey, you two," Jack greeted them and handed them a plate of berries and pancakes. "Breakfast."

"Where'd you get the pancakes?" Squint asked curiously.

"The Pancake Surplus Store. Thank Cas."

Nina took her plate with a hungry grin. "Thanks Cas!" she called across the fire, before digging into her breakfast. Squint grinned and followed suit, both rabbits eating heartily with the rest of the group. Once everyone had finished, and had socialized for a while, Squint stood and got their attention.

"I know this might seem like a stupid question, but...will you ALL help me get my sister back?" he asked. Nina stood beside him, gently taking her paw in his.

"Well of COURSE we will!" KaylaDestroyer exclaimed, Eightbooksand60cats having turned herself into a tiger and stretched out comfortable on the human author's lap. "We're people who write stories about animated characters; this whole thing has been a dream come true!"

"Yeah!" Eightbooksand60cats agreed, turning back into a humans. "We'd love to battle Raz and turn her back to normal!"

"I'm up for another adventure," Jack shrugged with a grin.

"I'll help too!" Aria volunteered.

"If ya' think I'M gonna' leave the sheila in her current form mate, you got anothah' thing comin'!" Bunnymund added. "I've been waitin ' for you to spill your plan!"

"Well, it sounds 'fun'," Dean began, before getting slapped by Sam, Cas, and Eightbooksand60cats. "Alright, FINE!" he groaned. Squint and Nina grinned; it was unanimous that their friends would help.

"Oh and uh, by the way; Nina and I decided to get married real quick before launching into the mission."

"WHAT?!"

"Yeah," Nina said, leaning on Squint. "We love each other, and we've been through so much together, so what point is there in waiting?"


	8. Chapter 8

"You're getting MARRIED!" Aria squealed. "We should totally help you get ready!"

"Yeah! We can run down to the Wedding Surplus Store and get you a gown, and a brush to do your fur, and all sorts of things!" KaylaDestroyer agreed. Eightbooksand60cats snapped her fingers.

"Sam, Dean; find Squint a tux! Bunnymund, since you're a fellow rabbit get his fur all cleared out! Jack, use your powers to decorate the place!" she instructed.

Dean stared at Eightbooksand60cats. "I thought you hated these kinds of things."

"I do, but COME ON, DUDE! The sooner I organize everyone the sooner this will be done, and the sooner we can adventure again! And save Raz."

Before either bunny knew what was going on, they'd been yanked apart to be separately prepared for their wedding. The girls took care and precision in combing Nina's fur out, making sure her ears were especially glossy, and even added a dose of sparkles they found at the Wedding Supplies Surplus Store. The bunny refused to wear extensive makeup, but allowed a small touch of eye shadow and mascara. She refused to wear a gown either, wanting only her dagger and belt, but eventually conceded to a pretty band around her head, center-pieced with a topaz resting on her forehead, and an icy blue wrap around both her chest and hips, matching her eyes and allowing her white stomach to show. Needless to say, the rest of the women were pleased with their work. "Oh Nina, you look BEAUTIFUL!" Aria cooed.

"Yeah, Squint won't be able to take his eyes off you!" Eightbooksand60cats agreed. Nina smiled softly.

"Thanks girls, I appreciate all this." she thanked.

"What are friends for?" KaylaDestroyer mind-spoke with a wink.

"I think I just...need to take a walk," Nina suggested. "This is...this is kinda' big." he continued with a sheepish smile.

"Oh, go get ready!" Eightbooksand60cats shooed with a grin. "Think about all the stuff you need to think about, we'll let you know when it's time to start." The white doe nodded with a grin, and turned to leave, walking off into the forest. She walked for several miles in silence, thoughts spinning. She was about to get MARRIED; to the one she truly loved, to the one who's darkness who balanced her light, to the one whom she promised she would help turn his sister back to who she'd been. Nina stopped suddenly, standing in a small ray of sunlight, and looked up at the sky. She was all decked out in her wedding attire, ready to bind herself to Squint forever.

She gently held her arms out, gazing into the trees surrounding her. "I don't know if you can hear or see me, Raz," she began quietly. "But...this is what your little brother is getting married to. And, I HOPE...the real you approves. I promise I'll take care of him, I'll always love him, and together...together we'll bring you back home, where you belong." Nina took in a deep sigh before continuing, comforted slightly by the fact that so far her speech had been me with silence rather than flames. "And someday," she added with a small grin.

"someday you're gonna' be an aunt. I promise." With that the doe slowly lowered her arms, then quietly pivoted and walked back to where the festivities awaited her. She felt, somehow, that she had reached Raz. And that the kangaroo understood her message, even if not completely. A strange warmth in her heart seemed to assure her of Rasmussen's blessing on her and Squint's unity.

From a great distance, Raz watched the tiny white doe leave, dressed in an extravagant yet simple manner. She'd heard the speech, heard her words of love, and promise, and children. She didn't understand it all the way, and she had no idea how it could possibly apply to HERSELF, specifically. And yet...it touched the beating hunk of molten material that generated heat and fire throughout her being. It gave her an odd, familiar feeling. A GOOD, familiar feeling. She tilted her head slightly as the white rabbit disappeared, eyes softening to a golden-red shade.

There was something about this doe, she could tell. And this Squint person too. However, that was what confused her; for Squint was her target of revenge.


	9. Chapter 9

Squint allowed Bunnymund to clear his fur out, however he flat out refused a bath to wash the salt out of his fur. Nina had been living it with for a long time now, he reasoned with Sam and Dean, and he was pretty sure she wouldn't mind living with it for a little longer. He also refused to wear a ridiculous, fancy tuxedo, and instead opted to copy Bunnymund's style of arm braces, only with a deal more of a decorative degree. Once he was 'dressed-up' to the rest of the men's satisfaction, he thanked them and requested a few minutes alone. He decided to take a walk, deep into the forest. After several minutes of silence, he stopped to check over the gauntlets Bunny had fashioned for him. Fittingly, they were black, infused with hints of blue here and there, wrapping around his forearms with thin slits in them to let his fur show through.

The Pooka had also taken the liberty of using a little black paint to apply the traditional, Pookan symbol of a new groom, about to be married, to Squint's ears. The rabbit had no clue what the design was, but decided not to worry about it. He sighed and looked up at the sky, crossing his arms nonchalantly. "Well, the day's finally here, Razzie." he muttered. "I'm finally getting married, and to Nina no less." he added with a chuckle. "Just like you asked." Silence lapsed for another moment.

"I promised you I'd ask her, and I DID. And, well, she obviously said yes. We're gonna' turn you back, Razzie; all of us. We're gonna' undo what Pitch did to you. I swear." With that Squint calmly tuned and walked back to the group, satisfied that he's done all he could to contact his very lost sister about the big step he was about to take.

* * *

Raz's crimson red eyes lit with excited flames as she watched her grey-furred target make his way back to wherever he'd come from. "So...little stinkah's getting married, eh?" she asked. She gently slapped her sword into her paw, grinning maliciously. "I always WANTED to crash a weddin'."


	10. Chapter 10

The wedding was by no means large. But it consisted of Squint and Nina's closest friends. Meaning the questers who they'd been traveling with for a very long time now. KaylaDestroyer had hired a Justice of the Peace, and everything had gone smoothly as of yet. One thing still remained as the audience cried and blew their noses, smiling with joy as the sat watching the procession. Except of course for two monster hunters who didn't want to seem soft, and the Guardian of Fun who sat in a branch with Aria. "And so do you, Squint, take Nina, to be your lovely wedded wife, in sickness and in health, in war and peace, in attacks and in restrengthening, in safety and danger, 'till death do you part?" Squint sent Nina a soft smirk, and the doe smirked back.

"I do." he said softly.

"And do you Nina, take Squint to be your lovely wedded husband, in everything he also promised, 'till death do you part?"

"I do." Nina said."

"Great!" The Justice said happily. Everyone raised an eyebrow at him. "So, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you, rabbit and wife. You may kiss the bride." The two rabbits turned to each other with soft grins as cheers arose from the small crowd. They had all gathered in a snowy glade, the area decorated with frost patterns and ice sculptures courtesy of Jack Frost. Squint gently brought his face closer to Nina's appreciating the beauteous wonder that she was, before everything screeched to a startling stop. A ball of flames suddenly shot out of nowhere, landing a few meters behind the Justice, causing everyone to jump and the poor Justice to dive behind a large rock and cower.

Squint and Nina wasted no time in releasing each other and pulling out their daggers, Squint stepping protectively in front of his new mate. Eightbooksand60cats instantly turned into a tiger, and KaylaDestroyer drew herself a pair of swords. Sam and Dean each pulled out a gun, while Aria nocked an arrow in her bowstring and Jack summoned a small gust of wind, waiting and ready to defend. Bunnymund pulled out his boomerangs, aiming one at the fireball's origin site. Everyone, minus the cowering Justice, turned to the glade's entrance, watching as fire leaped up all around them, snaking over the ground and climbing up some of the surrounding trees in otherwise beautiful patterns, had the situation not been so deadly. It was easy to tell the flames were being directed to specific places, as someone apparently felt like redecoration. A slow, clapping sound was heard as black-furred figure emerged from the flames, covered in bright, glowing cracks of lava, their eyes glowing a powerful red. Squint's jaw dropped as the creature came ever closer to the happy gathering.

"My my my, such a happy day. The bonding of two lovesick creatures for the rest of their lives. And nobody thought to invite ME." the feminine, Australian voice chastised sarcastically.

"RAZ?"


	11. Chapter 11

Raz laughed. "Is that what my name is?" she asked, her eyes flashing red (though Squint noticed that their color was a little goldish). She looked around her, finally noticing that the entire group had their weapons out. "I can see I'm outnumbered... And my original plan was to kill you all one by one... And I can't do that if you all jump on me..."

But..."

"But you have the option of comin' with us QUIETLY and lettin' us HELP you." Bunnymund interrupted. Raz's eyes narrowed into a glare, and she shot a small burst of flame at the Pooka with deadly accuracy, lighting one of his boomerangs on fire. The Easter Bunny yelped and instantly tried to put the fire out.

"Go suck on an EGG, rabbit." she spat. Bunnymund's eyes widened, then he set himself into a defensive stance once more, his weapon no longer burning.

"You sound an awful lot like someone I don't like." he growled. Raz smirked nastily once more.

"Good; I don't like YOU eithah'." she replied sassily. "Besides, my REAL prize is that annoying little JACKRABBIT ovah' there." Squint's heart clenched at his sister's new use of his nickname. "And I suppose his little BRIDE," she added with a roll of her eyes, "would make a good MINION." Protectiveness flaring up, Squint allowed a small bit of sand to spill out of his dagger, swirling it protectively around himself and Nina.

"If you want Nina you'll have to go through ME." he declared. The kangaroo's grin became toothy,a nd she summoned two fistfuls of fire. It the occured to the buck that Raz probably had acquired a great deal more if techniques in the art of fire combat.

"I was hopin' you'd say that," she replied evilly. Everyone tensed, prepared to spring, but the kangaroo brought up an enormous wall of flames around herself and the rabbits, sealing the rest of the band off other own 'cells' of fire. Jack's and Aria, as they possessed the talent to fly, were the only ones who escaped such confinement. Raz's eyes blazed pure red, the golden tint Squint had previously glimpsed melting away into the more fiery shade. "Let's DANCE, hero." she taunted. Such a quote brought up the memory of Captain Gutt in Squint's mind, angering him further. Raz was like HIM now; completely evil, uncaring, unfearing, and willing to get what she wanted at all costs.

Taking a stance, he warned, "Razzie, I DON'T wanna' hurt you." The kangaroo scoffed, glare returning as she too took up a battle stance.

"Too late for that, JACKRABBIT." she hissed. "FAR to late. " Squint would have asked what on ear she meant, but had no time to ponder it as a huge fireball was suddenly hurdling towards him and Nina.

Bobby suddenly appeared in front of the two rabbits, and took the fireball for them. He started to burn, but didn't look the slightest bit uncomfotable.

"Bobby!" Squint exclaimed.

"I'm fine, I'm already dead," Bobby growled. "Now go!"


	12. Chapter 12

The newly wedded couple split up, going around either side of Bobby, gathering their respective sands for battle. Neither was sure if they could inflict any damage upon the kangaroo, however. Squint took the initiative, being the first to launch a wave of sand at Raz. It wasn't intended to hurt her, in all honesty, just stun her or knock her onto her back. However, Raz had to merely swing one arm up and across her face and another wall of flame leapt up, disintegrating the attack completely. The defensive wall disappeared with a downward swing of her arm, her annoyingly nasty smirk staring Squint in the face. "She's gotten stronger," he realized.

"Whatever Pitch did to her must have given her even more power than she originally had." he thought. Nina took the next opportunity, hastily snaking her sand around behind the kangaroo and attempting to wrap it around her neck. This too proved too weak, as Raz merely had to raise the temperature of her neck and shoulders and the golden sands were burnt to nothing as well. "I'll admit, Razzie, you've got skills," he called out, hoping to distract her as he dodged another small shot of flame from the kangaroo. She frowned, baring her teeth slightly in an intimidating manner.

"Don't call me that!" she snapped angrily, before sending another wave of flame straight at the two bunnies. Squint lunged for Nina, thankfully propelling both of them out of the way. Raz stood, blazing angrily, flames licking up her entire form, fists clenched. "If my name is Raz, then so be it!" she hissed. "But I will NOT answer to any sort of PET NAME, especially not from YOU!" Squint wasn't sure how to respond to such a hurtful sentence. His face dropped with despair and sadness.

"Raz, you don't understand-" he tried to reason with her.

"No, YOU don't understand!" Raz shouted, pointing a flame-tipped claw at the buck. "You think, that after everything you've done to me, you can just PRETEND to be SORRY about it, and try to HELP me, but the truth is that everything is YOUR fault!" Squint was stunned beyond belief.

"Raz, I don't KNOW what you're-"

"DON'T PLAY DUMB WITH ME!" the kangaroo screeched, the flames surrounding them heightening to an even more frightening degree. She panted and growled angrily for a moment, teeth bared, glaring at Squint with ire like he'd never seen before. "Everything," she hissed. "is your fault. Everything that's happened to me, everything you DID to me, my current situation and predicament!" Squint and Nina began half-crawling backwards as Raz began hopping towards them. "It's all because of YOU!" she continued, pulling a sword out of her pouch and poising it over her head.

Nina hugged Squint tightly, eyes wide with fear, but didn't turn away. Squint wrapped his arms around her as well, jaw dropped at the realization that RAZ, of all people, was ready to KILL him. The kangaroo held her sword poised over her head with her right arm, her left one held out towards the bunnies for aid to her aim, her empty fist covered in flames. "And with a goodly amount of personal satisfaction," she spat, "I WILL have my revenge on you." Squint's mind suddenly kicked into overdrive, and he remembered what Pitch had told him. Or rather, clued him in on.

"JACK!" he Then, as if to answer his prayers, a loud 'smack!' was heard and Raz staggered to the side, before looking at her sword arm. A thin band made of ice wrapped around her upper right arm, causing the kangaroo great distress and discomfort. Dropping her sword with a sound of disgust, she instantly began clawing at the ice band, raising her body temperature in a desperate yet vain attempt to melt it. The flames surrounding the bunnies lowered a good deal, allowing them to at least see their friends. Jack and Aria flew down closer to the ground, as the height of the flames had previously confined them to high in the air. Raz turned to glare up at the Guardian of Fun, holding her arm in pain.

"What is this?!" she demanded. Jack smirked triumphantly at her.

"It's called 'ice', the frozen form of water." he replied. With a growl Raz attempted to claw the ice off herself once more, before groaning in agony.

"It's cold, and it STINGS!" she wailed. "Take it off!" the kangaroo demanded.

"Yeah, like we're going to let YOU run away." Jack scoffed. Raz merely continued to try and remove the band, which only seemed to grow thicker and slightly wider as her attempts became more desperate. It was clear Jack was strengthening the band against all her attempts to remove it. She suddenly let out a screech of pain, holding her arm to her chest.

"STOP IT!" she half-screamed half-wailed, curling slightly inward. The flames lowered even further, as if to emphasize her weakness. Squint stood carefully, taking a cautious step towards her. The kangaroo seemed to sense this however, and took a slight step back with a growl. The rabbit held his paws up in a plead for peace.

"Raz, PLEASE just LISTEN to us," he begged. But the kangaroo merely sent out an enormous wave of fire at the group, forcing them all back, before disappearing in a burst of flames. Squint sighed sadly at his sister's disappearance. Jack and Aria began putting the numerous fires out, while the rest of the questers regrouped to ensure everyone was okay. Squint knelt down beside Nina, who was sitting on the ground still, holding her stomach and panting softly. "Nina? You okay?" he asked, placing his paws on her shoulders.

"...I thought, she would at least...remember you." she whispered. "I didn't think she really wanted to..." The buck took her in his arms, holding her close as she gasped and sobbed softly.

"I know," he said. "I know."


	13. Chapter 13

Raz appeared in her current hideout, which consisted of a large clearing surrounded by trees with a decently sized cave. She groaned with intense pain, sinking to the ground and leaning against on of the trees, mentally commanding the place to light on fire to sooth her physical discomfort. The ice band pulsed with a terrible, stinging cold, and it was driving her insane. She did everything she could to get rid of it; she heightened her own body temperature, she made the place around her hotter, she even made the very AIR a scorching degree. Anything to relieve herself to the tormenting, punishing sting. For a while she simply sat and whimpered, hoping the intense heat and the distance from Jack Frost would eventually wear the band out. At last she felt something dribble down her arm, and smiled with relief.

"Yes," she muttered relievedly, and raised the temperature a bit more. Then, however, she became aware of something horrible. The liquid sliding down through her fur in numerous droplets was not water; it was a diluted form of the lava that decorated her arms. Her eyes widened in horror, and she began to sob. The pain intensified to a cruel and unusual state as lava tears seeped from the corners of her eyes and dribbled down her face. "I ain't meltin' the band," she whimpered. Raz put her head down and hugged her arm to her chest as more diluted droplets slid off herself and fell harmlessly to the ground. She began to tremble "The thing's meltin' ME."

* * *

The questers had gathered together for lunch, the Justice of the Peace having returned to the Wedding Supplies Surplus Store long ago. "So, what exactly did you do to her?" Bunnymund inquired of the winter sprite.

"I fastened this band of ice around her arm," Jack replied with a smirk. "And no matter how hard she tries to melt it, I'm making sure it stays frozen."

"But...isn't it HURTIN' her?" the Pooka asked. Jack shrugged.

"As long as it keeps her in one place, we'll be able to find her easier." he replied.

"NO!" Everyone turned to see Nina had jumped to her feet, a firm expression on her face. "No, no this is WRONG!" she insisted. "She may be the villain, but we can't treat her like this!"

"Why not? She tried to kill us all." Dean reasoned. Nina looked at the ground sadly, memories flashing in her eyes, before replying.

"When Pitch held me captive, he used his nightmare sand to put a necklace on me. A necklace that would give me nightmares, and might have choked me to death if Squint hadn't cut it off." she explained "I KNOW how terrible it is to have some sort of torture device fastened to myself, and I know that if I didn't enjoy it, Raz is probably feeling he same way right now. Only SHE'S experiencing a lot more pain than I did." The white doe looked Jack firmly in the eyes. "You HAVE to take it off her," she insisted. "Keeping her in pain, TORTURING her like this, is NOT the heroic thing to."

Jack stared at Nina before sighing. "Alright," he said. "But if she gets away, its on you."

With that, Jack seemed to be concentrating very hard before relaxing.

Nina sighed in relief. "Thank you."

* * *

Raz continued to sob, until she felt something cold dribble down her arm. She looked up, and saw that the ice band was now melting, and at a very fast rate.

In twenty seconds, the band was gone completely.

The black Procoptodon smiled with joy, red eyes shining with relief. "Oh, thank sweet mercy!" she exclaimed weakly. However, as her paw ran appreciatively along her freed arm, she suddenly flinched and gave a hiss of pain, moving her paw away. Looking worriedly at the appendage, Raz's eyes widened upon find that the area the ice band had previously occupied with scarred dramatically, both her flesh and her fur having turned an icy blue shade, her very skin frighteningly cool to the touch. And touching it HURT. "Oh," she whimpered helplessly, gently replacing her paw over the terrible scar and beginning to tenderly apply a healing dose of heat to it. However it very quickly hurt too much to try and fix the wound, and so Raz released her arm once more with a whimper.

The scar had hardly faded away. In fact her efforts seemed to have made no difference at all. Raz whimpered once more, drawing the flames around herself to cover her body in a comforting fashion and gather themselves in an odd bed beneath her. Laying on her side, she gently sniffled, "It's all that no-good rabbit buck's FAULT."


	14. Chapter 14

Raz face hardened. "Even more reason to kill him," she snarled. "Whatevah' he did to me before...before Pitch, I guess," she grumbled. "He still has to pay for, and now he's gone and gotten his ICY friend to practically SCAR me." Raz rubbed her injured arm gently once more, face softening in pain. "I don't know if this'll EVAH' heal." she muttered, before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

As the group sat, trying to figure out their next move to make on Raz, Nina walked a ways away to sit by a small pond. She thought about what she'd done, how she'd defended Raz in the face of all odds, and suddenly wondered if it truly WAS the right choice. Sure, she totally understood what the poor kangaroo had been subjected to; she knew that it was torture fit for no living creature. But...what if releasing Raz had allowed her to run free again, and hurt innocents? Destroy things? Kill people?

Nina sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, remembering one of the arguments Dean and Squint had engaged in in the past. Sure it hadn't been the actual DEAN at the time, but what if there was a point to be taken into consideration? What if trying to give Raz mercy and drawing her back to the good side proved fatal to everyone and everything else? She was now more dangerous than Squint had EVER been, on account of the fact he'd related his pirate past to her during their travels and spare time. "Hey," a gentle voice greeted. Nina turned to look up at her mate, and gave him a small smile.

"Hey," she said. "I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"About Raz... I'm wondering... If I actually did the right thing."

Squint frowned. "What do you mean?"

"About getting Jack to release Raz. And... I was thinking about one of the arguments you and Dean had. About Raz."

"The one when it wasn't actually Dean arguing?" Squint asked

"Yeah..." Nina began softly. "But, maybe he had a point."

"A point?" Squint inquired, sitting next to her.

"Yeah, I mean...you know how that felt, you knew it wasn't the right way to treat ANYBODY. And you stood up for it. You defended Raz against practically everybody." The buck smirked and lay a paw on his chest. "And if you hadn't, you know I certainly WOULD've." Nina chuckled and gave a nod. "Personally, I can't complain; you defended my sister and saved her from a whole lot of pain." Squint continued, wrapping an arm around Nina and pulling her close.

"Yes, but... What if she does kill everybody?" Nina asked.

"That'll never happen. Remember, this is RAZ we're talking about."

"Right; Raz the former pirate who's got a vendetta against YOU." Nina replied sarcastically with a smirk. "But I suppose even SHE would have trouble killing off the entire world."

"Yeah..." Squint trailed off sadly, face drooping. "I kinda' wonder WHAT she thinks I did to her, you know? Why she feels the need to get revenge on ME of all people."

"I don't know," Nina whispered. "But whatever she thinks you did, it must have been bad."

"No kidding," Squint scoffed. "Do you think...SHE thinks that, it's MY fault Pitch turned her?" he asked. Nina tilted her head quizzically at him. "I mean, she probably isn't AWARE that, that's what it really is, but...what if deep down she thinks that it was MY fault she took Pitch's blow?"

"But it's NOT." Nina reasoned. Squint shrugged.

"Maybe," he replied. "All the same, what if she thinks I really AM the reason she's...the way she is NOW? And what if...what if she's right?"

"Don't say that!" Nina exclaimed. "It isn't your fault!"

"Are you sure?" Squint asked softly, staring into the water. Nina lay a paw on his shoulder in a comforting fashion.

"Of course I'm sure, Squint." she soothed. "And I know you would do EVERYTHING in your power to turn her back. She's your sister, and you love her."

Squint smiled at Nina. "Thanks, Nina." He thought for a minute, and then said, "You really are perfect for me."

"Why is that?" Nina asked, also smiling.

"Because you always know how to make me smile."


	15. Chapter 15

"Well then, I should never see you frown then, should I?" Nina chuckled, tapping his nose playfully. Squint smirked and gently swatted her paw away.

Looking into the distance, he asked, "Do you think she's alright?"

"I'm sure she's fine."

* * *

Raz was scraping a picture into the wall of her cave. Her nails were going to hurt by the time she was done, but she didn't care.

She needed to draw this. A man with dark hair...

She needed to find him. Maybe he could help her get rid of that rabbit.

It wasn't the best drawing in the world; she hadn't seen the man since she was a newborn. But his dark hair and knife-like nose stood out prominently in her memory. She gently ran her paw over the picture when she was finished, eyes soft. She NEEDED to find this man; he was important, she could tell. There was something about him... After a moment she decided to go back over the picture and use her power of heat to melt it into the wall a little deeper.

Pitch suddenly appeared in the pond before the bunnies, causing Nina to jump. Squint raised an eyebrow. "What are YOU doing here?" he asked the Nightmare King.

"I sensed distress from the kangaroo, and decided to check in with you all first to make sure you hadn't screwed up." Pitch replied sourly.

"Hey, I did NOTHING, alright? Jack came in to save us by fastening this band of ice around her arm and-"

"WHAT?!" Pitch demanded. "You let some frosty hooligan get his hands on my fiery creation?!"

"All he did was put a band of ice on her arm; and once she stopped attacking us he took it off." Nina assured. Pitch rubbed his temples in irritation.

"Typical," he grumbled. "The minute I'm DEAD my greatest enemy tries to KILL my only daughter."

"He wasn't trying to KILL her!" Squint objected.

"And exactly what do you think putting a band of ICE on a living VOLCANO will do?" Pitch demanded. Neither bunny could answer. "Just as I thought." With that he disappeared.


	16. Chapter 16

Raz sat, gently rubbing the scar on her arm, trying to put some heat in it. "Rasmussen," a gentle, sing-song voice called. Perking up at the familiar voice, Raz carefully rose to her feet, then began hopping towards the noise. "Come, little one," it cooed. Raz soon found herself staring at a tall glacier, and in the glacier appeared the black-haired man she'd drawn previously. Her red eyes widened with interest and slight relief.

"Oh, it's...YOU." she said softly, bending down to his level. The man smiled softly at her.

"Yes, I'm here," he soothed, then gently stretched out his hand towards her. Raz shied away for a moment, remembering the last time he'd touched her. "Settle down now, I won't hurt you." he soothed, then began gently stroking her temple. Raz relaxed, nuzzling into the gesture. "That Frost boy wasn't very nice to you, was he?" the man crooned softly. Raz let out a low growl crossed with anger and pleasure.

"No...he hurt me." she replied softly.

"Let me see." Raz complied, turning to show the dark-haired man her scarred arm.

"Can you fix it?" she asked quietly, a touch of innocence to her voice. The man gently lay his hand over her blue scar, causing the kangaroo to wince slightly.

Once he took his hand away, all that was left of the scar was a tiny snowflake shaped mark.

The man sighed. "That's all I can do. That snowflake won't go away. But it doesn't hurt anymore, does it?"

Raz shook her head. "No." she replied softly. "Thank you." The man smiled and gently took her chin his his hand.

"Not a problem, little one." he replied, his thumb gently stroking her cheek. Raz smiled softly, enjoying the comfort being afforded to her.

"Will it evah' go away?" she asked softly. "Can anyone make it go away?"

"I don't know. I think that its no longer a scar... Its like... A mark. Forever a reminder that ice is dangerous."

Raz nodded. It was a lesson she wouldn't have forgotten with or without the mark. She allowed the man to gently wrap an arm around her neck in a sort of embrace, before he disappeared completely. The Procoptodon stood and gently ran a finger over the tiny snowflake that remained, remembering how warm his hand had been on her arm. It was strange; he didn't seem like the type to like warmth. But she had liked it all the same. She wondered why he was so kind to her; why he was helping her like this.

Perhaps she would ask next time he came to visit her.


	17. Chapter 17

Pitch reappeared in front of Squint and Nina, still looking grouchy. "So what's the verdict?" Squint inquired.

"FROST was careless enough to SCAR her with his ice," he grumbled. Nina gave a gasp.

"Is she alright? Can we do anything?" Pitch waved a hand dismissively.

"I already took care of it," he replied. "However, I couldn't quite get all of the blue out of her fur. And it IRKS me." Pitch added with a growl.

"I hope he won't try anything with Jack," Nina whispered.

Squint shrugged. "He can't do anything. I'm the only who can interact and see him."

"Are you that IGNORANT, rabbit?" Pitch asked with a roll of his eyes. "Your MATE can see me and I've already healed your SISTER."

"So that means us three are the only ones who can see you, since you've only popped up for us, and apparently Raz is the only one you can touch since you haven't touched either of us yet." Squint countered. "So in effect, no one else can see or touch you." Pitch rolled his eyes once more.

"You're a very short-sighted rabbit, you know that?" he asked dryly. "In any case; if you plan to contain Raz with water, you must contain her with WATER, not ICE. Ice is far too harsh; as I've already said it scarred her and there's still a blue mark in her fur."

"You're REALLY taking this fatherly role seriously, aren't you?"

Pitch sighed. "I was once a human."

"Your point?"

"I WAS ONCE A FATHER!"

Squint's eyes widened for a moment, before he blinked them back to normal. "Oh. I guess things didn't turn out that well, huh?" he asked. Then he became suspicious. "Wait a minute, is THAT why you're trying to take care of Raz? Because the last time you had a daughter something went wrong, and NOW you want to rectify that somehow by raising Raz as some kind of baby villain?"

"Raz IS a child in villain years!" Pitch snapped back. "She needs help, and guidance, from someone with more experience than her."

"But under normal circumstances, she wouldn't be getting it, would she?" Nina asked in a cold, firm voice. Both males turned to her in surprise. "I mean come on, one of the oldest villain drives is revenge; getting someone back for what they did or DIDN'T do. It's one of the most powerful drives in the existence of emotion, and it would be a great kickstart for a newborn villain." The white doe narrowed her eyes at Pitch. "If you were a NORMAL villain father, you would have helped her by leaving her completely alone; letting her face the dangers of the world with NO guidance at ALL. But YOU?"

"You endeavored to help her in multiple ways, you let her revenge kickstart fall on Squint for some oddball reason. Because YOU, Pitch," Here Nina gave a mischeveous grin, pointing a teasing finger at the image. "care about your daughter. And that care you're showing her will introduce her to SOME form of love and goodness, which will make it easier for us to turn her back."

Pitch scowled. "Most villains turn evil because they want power. Most don't turn evil because someone killed their son and daughters."

"Oh, you had more than one kid?" Squint inquired nonchalantly.

"I had twins and a baby girl. My twin's names were Forrester and Fawn. My baby girl's name was May," Pitch sighed. "The twins were eight when they were killed. And my youngest was merely two, just learning to walk and talk.

"I remember that day... I came home to see a man run out of my house, covered in blood. When I got inside-"

Pitch looked away. "They were gone."

Picth's face hardened, and he turned back to the bunnies. "And I will NOT let the same thing happen AGAIN," he said determinedly. "Even if it means separating someone ELSE from THEIR loved one." Squint's eyes widened.

"Pitch, WAIT!" he cried, but the Boogeyman vanished.

Nina stared, shocked, at where the dark-haired man had been standing. "He... Somebody killed his children..."

"Just...murdered them in cold blood..." Nina continued in a weak tone, placing a paw on her stomach once more. Squint nodded sadly.

"Yeah...like when that...dingo killed off...my parents..." he said slowly, realization entering his voice and a plan forming in his head. "I think I finally figured out a way to connect with this guy!" he exclaimed suddenly, grinning crookedly. He looked to Nina, knowing she would want him to explain. However, her current position and facial expression worried him. "Nina, are you okay?" he inquired. The white doe blinked and looked over at him, as if shaken from a daze.

"Huh? Oh, yes, I'm fine." she replied, glancing away once more. Squint tilted his head, gently moving his mate's paw aside and gently pressing his own to her stomach.

"Are you sure? You've been acting like you're sick or something." he noted. Suddenly,he seemed to have pressed her too hard, even though he felt he was hardly pressing at all, and Nina shoved his paw away with the speed of light, replacing it with her own. Then, as if in apology, she curled up against his chest.

"I'm fine Squint, really I am." she assured.

Squint nodded. "Okay, then," he said, still sounding unsure. "I'm gonna go try to summon Pitch again... See in you possibly twenty, thirty minutes. Maybe an hour." He darted off, but not before telling Nina not to wait up and to just go back to camp without him.

As Nina walked the short distance leading to camp, she thought more about what Pitch had said.

I WON'T let that happen to Squint's and my children, she thought, once again putting a hand on her stomach.

"Okay?" she asked softly. "Your daddy and I won't let anybody hurt you.

"Ever."


End file.
